When I think of the Halo series, the very first thing that comes to mind is the Gregorian chanting of the Halo: Combat Evolved theme. The soundtrack of that game is, on the surface, a bizarre mash-up of rock, electro, and the aforementioned chanting. Yet it works, brilliantly in fact. It remains my favourite soundtrack within any game. There are individual musical pieces from other games that I may love more, but as a complete collection the music of Halo has no equal in my humble opinion.
Halo: CE is an important game to me and remains near and dear. When I think of my favourite moments from the game, they all revolve around the music. The epic ‘Brothers in Arms’ as Master Chief and Cortana escape the crashing Pillar of Autumn. The synth of ‘Under Cover of Night’ as you sneak along a ridge at night-time to ambush Covenant forces. The unsettling melody of ‘Devils…Monsters…’ as you confront the nightmarish Flood for the first time. The haunting tones of ‘The Maw’ as you return to the wrecked Pillar of Autumn for the game’s climatic level. And then, there is that mesmeric chanting from the ‘Opening Suite’ which kick-starts your journey into Halo: CE. Martin O’Donnell was the composer behind the soundtrack (and those for Halos 2, 3, and Reach), and his music elevated the storytelling and world of Halo. He was a decisive player in making Halo: CE the epic experience that it was and, in my opinion, remains. Honestly, I could fill the rest of this post with how each piece of music makes me feel, but I will spare you that ordeal.
What I want to convey is how Halo’s music is by far its best quality. Great music can raise a game to new heights, and that is what occurred with Halo: CE. The soundtrack helped to create the original game’s epic scale. Halo is true ‘Space Opera’, and the latter part of that term describes the soundtrack perfectly. It is operatic, the kind of music that you would pay to see performed live by a vast orchestra and choir. That is why I cherish it. Even the more restrained and darker tunes retain that sweeping sense of scale that infuses the grander orchestral numbers. As with so many other games, Halo: CE’s plot involved the fate of humanity. The music, however, made you believe that. Well, it certainly did for a 9-year-old boy. Perhaps my youth when I first heard it explains why I hold the music in such esteem. Yet I truly believe that if I had heard the music yesterday, I would still be writing this post raving about it. My interest in the Halo games waned as the series progressed, but I still adore the music. Even after O’Donnell’s departure from the series the music remains strong, but his work will always stand in a class of its own.
The soundtrack to Halo gave me an appreciation for the importance of music. To this day, when I play Halo: CE the music still gets my adrenaline pumping, makes my hair stand on end, and brings me right back into the world of Halo. As I hear that Gregorian chanting my heart swells. I’m 9 years old again, ready to take the fight to the Covenant and the Flood, prepared to save humanity once more no matter the odds. That music will stay with me forever, and I would have it no other way.
